


The Performance

by MissMariel



Series: TS Sides One Shots [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Kind of a panic attack, M/M, Talk of a failed suicide attempt, Theater gays, be careful with this one guys, not angst though, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21778993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMariel/pseuds/MissMariel
Summary: Virgil had asked him to show him some of his drama skills. He hadn't known how wrong that could go...Or how right...
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders
Series: TS Sides One Shots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1556422
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	The Performance

The prince was in the middle of a monologue, the anxious side watching him completely enraptured from the auditorium, when suddenly Roman's leg seemed to give out under him and he fell flat on his back, the air being forced out of him with an audible wheeze. Virgil jumped up, leaning closer with wide eyes, unsure of how to help. He resorted to calling out to him: "Are you alright?"  


Roman coughed once and struggled to get into a sitting position, his arms curled around his knees. He looked up, and though he didn't seem to see Virgil, the anxious side would always recognize the look of a beginning panic attack. Had the fall been that bad that it immediately knocked out his confidence?

Then Roman locked eyes with Virgil and his breathing picked up, becoming hectic, and he scrambled backwards. When his back hit the wall he curled up, arms protectively over his head. Virgil thought he could see him muttering something under his breath. Frowning he stepped onto the stage, reaching out to comfort his friend.

Just before he could touch him though, Roman unfurled and let out a bone-chilling scream that made Virgil jump back a few feet. He stared at him, his own breathing picked up until he matched Roman's slowly calming panting. He was sure he would've worked himself up even more, had he not seen something shift in the others eyes and the prince break character for a split second to wink at him, before falling forward. With his arms sprawled out to both sides Roman started the strangest dance Virgil had ever seen, humming under his breath. He was watching him with wide eyes, his breathing slowly calming down again as he saw that the prince was alright. He knew he should probably go back to his seat, but he couldn't bear to take his eyes off the other. And so he stood still in the middle of the stage, merely taking a few steps back to make room for Roman's bigger and bigger growing dance. This was a much cooler experience than watching him from the auditorium anyway.

Eventually Roman's dance came to an end and he rolled back onto his stomach. Virgil started clapping furiously and almost missed when the prince lifted his head and mumbled something. Immediately silence fell over the mind palace theater once again as Virgil awaited his final words.

With a seemingly great effort Roman managed to pull his arms under him and push up his upper body a bit. "Yes, a fever dream..." He rolled onto his back with a heavy sigh and stared up at the ceiling for a long moment. Then he swirled around until he was kneeling with one leg propped up. "I dreamt, she spit me out again, the Elbe, that old hag." 

He pushed himself to his feet and took a staggering step towards Virgil, a wild and desperate look in his eyes. "She didn't want me. She said I'm still too green behind the ears." Roman was working himself up again now, not with panic, but with anger. His arms were hanging limply at his sides, fingers twitching occasionally like he wanted to grab something, as he kept walking towards Virgil and then past him towards the edge of the stage, his steps unsteady and limping.

"She said, she doesn't give a damn about my puny life. That's what she said, right in my ear, she doesn't give a damn about my suicide. Not a damn, she said, that damned hag! And she kept nagging me, like an old fishwife! Life is great, she said, and here I lie, with wet clothes, on the beach, and I'm cold. I'm always cold! In Russia I almost froze to death! I've had enough of this eternal cold! And the Elbe, this damned old hag..." He had lifted his arms now, finally, to gesture wildly, before dropping them to his sides again with a sigh. "Yeah, that is exactly what I dreamt..."

Roman stood there for a long moment, letting his final words hang in the air, before he turned back to Virgil with a beaming smile. Virgil in turn stared back at him, unsure if the performance was over or if this was just another role the prince was putting on. But then Roman bowed and grinned at him, asking excitedly: "What do you think Virge?" He was greeted with thundering applause for a long while. Virgil couldn't even clap loud enough to express his admiration properly.

Finally he calmed down and managed to answer Roman's question breathlessly. "Holy shit that was amazing Ro! You had me worried in the middle part, but you really pushed through that! Wait- Was that fall planned?" Roman scratched the back of his neck and chuckled awkwardly. "Uh... Yeah, sure." Virgil smirked knowingly, but the excitement quickly returned to his face. "What was that? Did you think of that yourself?"

"Ah, no", Roman amended, "It's a freestyle interpretation of the first scene of a German play called 'Outside the door', that I've been working on for a while now." Virgil smiled warmly. "It was really amazing Ro." He chuckled and playfully punched his arm. "But don't scare me like that again, got it? Roman chuckled and wrapped his arm around the smaller sides shoulders, conceding amicably: "Sure thing Virge, next time I'll warn you." Blushing, Virgil leaned into the prince. _Next time??_


End file.
